THE PROBLEM OF THE PERSON OF CHRIST 



259 



If there was any such genius, it must have come 

 by way of His mother, and there is no evidence 

 that she was possessed either of exceptional char- 

 acter, exceptional ability, or exceptional spirit- 

 ual insight. The Roman Church has almost 

 apotheosized Mary, but it must not be forgotten 

 that the process began with Jesus. From what 

 He was, an inference was drawn concerning what 

 His mother must have been. If, however, there 

 had been nothing known of Jesus, and nothing 

 except what is recorded in the New Testament 

 known about Mary, there is no probability that 

 from the knowledge of the mother the Church 

 would have created its claims concerning the 

 unique character and personality of the Son. In 

 His reputed parents is seen nothing of those ele- 

 ments of spiritual and intellectual power which 

 made Jesus the Teacher and the Exemplar of 

 succeeding centuries. 



But not only was Jesus unlike Joseph and 

 Mary ; He was also without the slightest resem- 

 blance, in all that constituted His personality, 

 to the other members of their family. Other 

 children were born to those peasants, and all of 

 them were as unlike Jesus as were Joseph and 

 Mary. Napoleon was a transcendent genius, but 

 he resembled his mother in face, figure, and char- 



